Monticello Board addresses cable, budget, wastewater

Published 9:32 pm Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Cable is returning to Monticello.

For over five years there hasn’t been a cable franchise in Monticello. The Board of Aldermen approved a contract Tuesday with Cable One.

“Our last cable company left and there hasn’t been anyone to offer cable services in town for over five years,” said City Clerk Debbie Lea. “We’ve been in talks for months now. We went ahead and signed the contract so we can hopefully get them here by the end of the year or beginning of next year, so they can begin to offer cable to our consumers here in town.”

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Public hearing

A budget hearing was held immediately prior to the aldermen meeting with several residents in attendance. Aldermen will vote on the $1.6 million budget Sept. 12.

“There will be no increase in millage,” said Lea. “It’s always good to let people know that taxes aren’t going to be increased.”

According to Lea, there was one adjustment to the budget.

“We have some extra money that we are going to be spending to replace floors at the municipal complex office and we have some electrical work at the Atwood Park we need to get fixed,” she said.

The adjustments to general fund budget are approximately $17,000.

CDBG proclamation

Aldermen hope to receive a Community Development Block Grant for $450,000 to be used to repair the wastewater lagoon.

“We had a site visit last week that went really well, but we won’t know if we got it until the end of this month or beginning of October,” Lea said.

In other business, Mayor Martha Watts approved the Daughters of the American Revolution proclamation and declared Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week.

The Board of Aldermen will meet next on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Monticello Municipal Building.